“Boom” – Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend Georgios Frangulis reacts to Novak Djokovic’s striking Six Kings Slam poster

Novak Djokovic is set to return for the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh this October, leaving fans and celebrities reacting to the king-themed promotional poster. The Serb is confirmed to compete on October 15, 16, and 18 at the ANB Arena during Riyadh Season.

On Wednesday, August 6, Saudi Arabian sports promoter Turki Al-Sheikh posted a dramatic promotional image of Djokovic wearing a golden crown, with the slogan “Still King. Never Still.” The prominent tagline of the poster was “Six Kings Slam.” The post was captioned:

“The legend is back 🔥 and this time, he wants the one title that got away. Novak Djokovic returns to Six Kings Slam on a mission 🎾”

Trending

Under the post's comments section, Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend and entrepreneur Georgios Frangulis had a one-word reaction that read:

"Boom 💥"

The organizers wrote in the press release:

“Since the launch of Riyadh Season in 2019, the festival has welcomed visitors from all over the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting activities, and other unique cultural events. Most recently, Riyadh Season 2024 reached a major milestone after the number of visitors for the year exceeded 20 million for the first time.”

Apart from Novak Djokovic, the event will also include the top two players, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. However, Rafael Nadal, who participated in last year's inaugural edition, has now retired and will not be participating in this event.

Apart from Nadal, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune are not set to return for the second edition, with Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev, and Jack Draper replacing them. Sinner will be looking to defend his title in the second edition.

Novak Djokovic yet to conquer Riyadh

Novak Djokovic, who has won almost everywhere, has never won a title in Riyadh. The Serb has previously participated in exhibition events in the city, including the Riyadh Season Tennis Cup (2023) and the Six Kings Slam (2024), but did not emerge as the champion.

In October last year, Novak Djokovic played in the Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament, where he finished third after losing to Jannik Sinner in the semifinals. He won the consolation match against Rafael Nadal. In December 2023, Djokovic played an exhibition match against Carlos Alcaraz at the Riyadh Season Tennis Cup but lost 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

In other news, Djokovic has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open for the second year running. The official reason is " non-medical." Djokovic also skipped the Canadian Open in Toronto. This could leave him underprepared for the US Open, where he would try to win his fifth Grand Slam in New York.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

Krutik Jain

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

Know More